Professional contemporary vocalist and session singer offering online singing lessons for all levels and a range of styles and beginner lessons in songwriting, piano, vocal production and music theory

Find out more about Emily

• When did you first develop a passion for music and your favourite instrument?

  I know that it sounds cheesy, but I really can't remember a time that I didn't love singing, though I do remember a time when I wasn't all that great at it!
  Every morning on the way to school in the car and every afternoon on the way back, I would get in the passenger seat, pull the mirror down and sing into it, 'rockstar style'. At the time, my Mum was doing her best to be my 'singing teacher' and although she didn't know too much about it, she was spot on about singing with good support from the tummy (which we later learned is not really the tummy, but the diaphragm) and so, until I was able to have lessons at school, my Mum did her best to teach me and we sang everyday, twice a day, doing our best to sing with good support!

• Is there a particular type music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  Well, I know which songs DO drive me crazy
  Artists/music that I can usually always listen to though would be Evanescence, Nothing More and movie soundtracks, like The Lord Of The Rings!

• Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  The most difficult part about learning any instrument, but I think in particular with singing, is learning to give yourself permission to actually sing... and to sing off-key! Some of the coolest discoveries I have made about what my voice can do is from making a 'mistake'! There really is no right or wrong when it comes to singing, as long as it doesn't hurt when you do it, it is all down to which sounds you like and which sounds you don't like. Once you learn that any sound or style that you want to sing is valid and worthwhile, it becomes very fun to explore and make all sorts of crazy (or not crazy, if that's what you'd prefer) sounds!

• What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  I've always been in awe of organ players; they not only have use their hands to play multiple keyboards, they also have the stops to pull and push and have to use their feet!!

• What are your keys to success?

  The million dollar question!
  It really does depend on the person because everyone learns and stays motivated in different ways. In general though, the most important thing, in my opinion, is to enjoy what you do and be excited about what you are learning. We all love doing fun things, so if singing is fun and doesn't feel like a chore, you are already successful!

• Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  Jonny Hawkins, lead singer from Nothing More.
  Jonny Hawkins' stage presence is insane, I've never seen anyone perform like that before and I'd love to know the kind of training he does to not only do all of that physically, but also sing incredibly well at the same time!
  
  Amy Lee, lead singer from Evanescence.
  Amy Lee has been a huge inspiration for me, not just musically, but also because she fronts a rock/metal band. At the time that Evanescence came onto the scene, there weren't many female singers in that genre; she really helped pave the way for more female fronted rock bands to emerge. She is also classically trained and my singing roots began in the classical style, so it was very encouraging to know that I could go from classical singing to rock/metal singing!
  
  Tina Guo, professional cellist.
  I love her performances with Hans Zimmer and I reckon she would have some great stories to tell!

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  Always remember that music is meant to be fun and creative and although there are exams and assessments in music with certain criteria, it doesn't mean that whatever you do does not have value. It is hard to put something as diverse and subjective as music into checkbox categories, so do what you love and there will be certainly be others out there that also love what you do!

• What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  I am really invested in finding the most fun way to teach music and singing! Each student is unique and I take pleasure in figuring out what sort of things they are actually interested in and what works best for them. I can get super nerdy and go into the mechanics of vocal science or teach using imagery and feeling; whatever the student fancies, I am flexible!
  For my younger students, I also write lesson summaries so that they can revise what we have learned in the lesson and remember any exercises they need to practise.